The Lost Book of the Grail by Charlie Lovett

Lovett has the wonderful ability to write stories about characters who have an affinity for books and the stories they tell outside of their pages. Reading one of his novels is what it must be like to walk the Chartres Cathedral Maze; a journey into inner reflection on life and it's personal meaning, told to you by characters that are flawed and yet worthy of the reader's affection because of it. If you have ever been enthralled by tales of King Arthur and his Knights, the legend of the Holy Grail, or just sat enraptured by the history that can be found around you, you're going to enjoy this novel. Like in The Bookman's Tale, Lovett's previous novel, there runs the glittering thread of obsession in these pages, tying together a historical mystery that unfolds before your eyes with as much grace as adventure.

This is a story of a little boy who sees a tragedy unfold unaware of its importance. In time another little boy will come along who promises to keep a secret, the magnitude of which has filtered down the distant past to him from many others who guarded it. As he grows into a man dedicated to solving the mystery handed to him by his grandfather, he becomes entrapped by this all consuming search. Unknowingly withdrawn from others he is caught unprepared when a young woman barges into his most cherished sanctum to complete a project that could destroy every thing he's worked so hard for and challenges him to realize that sometimes choices made can be as restrictive as they are freeing.

Based in the city of Barchester, England which was originally invented by Anthony Trollope, Lovett introduces us to the amalgamated history of the creation of its most important heritage, Barchester Cathedral and its amazing library of ancient manuscripts. The Cathedral's history will take us on a hunt for one of the most important religious discoveries of all time. As you turn the pages you will reveal the various threads of obsession and love that Lovett spins into a tale of learning to love and let go. History and fiction meet to create a story that I'm sure Trollope himself would have approved of. Recommend for anyone interested in English historical fiction, religious stories, or just a good read. Add it to your TBR pile and save some time to wallow in the glory of ancient Barchester with Lovett and Trollope.

House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick

This was provided as an ARC by Graydon House and set to be released on October 17 of this year.

With one phone call in the middle of the night Holly Ansell's life changes forever. Her brother has vanished from his country home without a trace, as though he simply stepped outside for a breathe of air. With her own personal life in shambles, Holly moves into his house to find out what she can to find him. However as she begins to unfold his last moments, Holly begins to realize that the man she thinks her brother was was only a mirage. He had started the search for an ancient jewel tied to the Winter Queen herself and in doing so created repercussions that are still rippling out even as Holly fights to find the answers she needs. When Holly begins to realize there is more happening than she can explain she begins to doubt her own sanity as time and place begin to collude to expose a story centuries in the making of a great evil power, of a last chance at love, and of a quest finally nearing completion. Will the answers Holly uncovers help her to find forgiveness and healing or will the ancient power the jewel claims bring another black end to those involved.

Written by Cornick, who is a guide at Ashdown House, the story is based on the idea that William, First Earl of Craven had the house built for Elizabeth Stuart, The Winter Queen as a token of his love. Cornick has done a remarkable job of joining historical fact with possibility in this story and it was a pleasure to read. A recommend for anyone interested in English monarchy or historical fiction. Could be the next pick for a reading group as there is plenty of non fiction to follow up on in this story as well.

Secondhand Souls (Grim Reaper, #2) by Christopher Moore

In this second book of the Grim Reaper series, Moore continues the story that began in A Dirty Job. After having died and been restored in a new and unexpected body, Charlie Asher and his friends are facing a new threat. Souls of dying people are not being collected by Death Merchants but where are they going instead? Is an old evil reviving? Who are the Squirrel People and why do they live under the house? Is Sophie still the supernatural dealer of death or has a new more powerful player stepped up to the bat? These questions and more are answered in hysterical hi jinks that slowly reveal the links connecting the missing souls and the actions of our heroes with the underworld and a feud as old as time. 

With gems such as " Their names are Death, Disease, War, and Sparkle-Darkle Glittertits. They're the four little ponies of the Apocalypse. ", strewn throughout the story, you are sure to find this book a laugh riot all the way to the very end. Can be read as a stand alone as well. If you've never read a Moore title before, get ready to laugh until it hurts.

The Fall of the House of Cabal (Johannes Cabal, #5) by Jonathan L. Howard

Mr Howard is an evil genius that has invented a world full of characters that I wouldn't hesitate to shot if need be but I secretly have to admit to a great deal of affection for. This is a series that does need to be read in sequence but I assure you that they are worth the effort.

Cabal has come across arcane knowledge that leads him to believe that there is a place where he may find the very thing to bring back his beloved from the dead. The only problem is that the journey will take him and his mainly willing assistants into places that don't exist on any maps or in time or reality actually. But these small pitfalls won't stop Cabal. After all, he's done his research very carefully. Death is not assured, some may even survive, minus a limb or so. With the help of his brother Horst, a young woman who Cabal may have one time considered killing, and a devil who has given her solemn dib dib not to eat, seduce, or maim him and all right, his friends, Cabal sets out to claim his prize. But as their journey progresses something is becoming crystal clear. Everything Cabal thought he knew is wrong and the fact starts to occur to Cabal, he has made a serious mistake and fallen into a trap of great conniving. For an enemy is pulling all the strings but what neither of them can understand is the sheer evil that is playing them both. This time around Cabal may find himself against something that even he can't understand. As each game piece falls into play Cabal finds himself with fewer and fewer moves. Will this be the very death of our necromancer or only the very beginnings of his eternal damnation?

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore (Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, #1) by Robin Sloan

This book was brilliant and any true reader will be taken in and swept away. After all who hasn't dreamed of a 24 hour bookstore but when you add a mysterious back section, odd and eccentric readers who belong to a secret society, and an owner who is the holder of a secret that could change the world, you have the perfect recipe for a book that is satisfying and an instant favorite.

This story of a search to a puzzle hundreds of years in the making is lovingly crafted with wit and humor and a generous dollop of technological wizardry. But don't despair, the true gem of this story is the relationships between Mr. Penumbra and his newest clerk and the endless fascination that books hold for us. A tribute to all bookstores, book lovers, and clandestine intrigues around the world this is so much more than a mere reviewer could say.

Go get this book, relax in an armchair, and enjoy the experience. But get your own copy, you're not gonna want to let this one go.

The Madwoman Upstairs: A Novel by Catherine Lowell

Anyone who has read Jane Eyre has somewhere along the line learned of the Bronte sisters. But what do we really know about them outside of what we've been handed down. In this story we are introduced to the last living relative of the Bronte family who has recently lost her father who always insisted that the novels written by the three sisters were literally a guidebook to not only understanding them but to finding the lost treasure of the Brontes. As she attends his alma mater in Oxford she finds herself in the unenviable position of minor celebrity as she is repeatedly touted as the last heir of this great treasure horde which could vary from simple forgotten everyday items used by the Brontes to unknown works. The sad truth however is that there is no legacy and no one will believe her

But as she tries to come to grips with her father's legacy something strange begins to happen; books are being left for her in her room. Not just any books though, Bronte titles from her father's private library which burned down years ago taking him with it. There are clues left for her in her father's comments written on the pages and as she starts to try and come to grips with these mysterious events she realizes that she may potentially be coming unraveled or on the cusp of the greatest literary find of the century. Was her father right in believing there was a legacy left or like the madwoman upstairs, is she losing contact with reality?

Although there is a blend of mystery, humor, love story, history, and thriller in this book what you're really absorbed by is the story of a young woman coming to a head with the still raw grief over her father's death. Having to figure out what her father is trying to communicate with his notes pushes her to the extreme because in doing so, this last chance to speak to him can lead to only one ending, acknowledging he is no longer with her.

If you are ensnared by the thought of what the Bronte treasure is, look no further than this book. The thoughtfulness that shines through and the apparent fascination with the Brontes as regular women gilds every page and makes this a delightful read. I'm sure Emily, Anne, and Charlotte would agree.

Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English by Natasha Solomons

Jack and Sadie are German Jews who have traveled to England to escape the persecution growing in Berlin of World War II. They set off to London with their daughter Elizabeth to start a new life far from home and family and arrive at the docks to be greeted by an official who hands them a pamphlet on how to assimilate into the English lifestyle and amidst the uncertainties that face them Jack sees this as the anchor in creating himself into the perfect English gentleman. He drives a Jaquar, wears Saville Row suits, and even refuses to speak German, reminding Sadie that they have to blend into their new home. Immigrants at this time are still considered possible spies or worse and can be taken into custody under suspicion at anytime.

But while Jack has created his own company and the family lives in comfort with other Jewish immigrants in London, Sadie is still dealing with having left her family back home. As the war continues, her family become victims of the Nazi regime and Sadie is left with the unbearable grief of their loss. As Jack seems to drift away further and further from their roots, Sadie finds herself drowning in the sorrow of her loss and the believe that Jack has forgotten their loved ones and therefore her.

When he sells their London home to move them to Dorset so he can build a golf course and finally feel he has truly become an Englishman, the rift between him and Sadie gapes even wider and their lives begin to diverge in ways they never could have anticipated. Sadie begins a perilous decline to which she can neither speak nor can Jack witness and only a tragedy may save them.

Although this is a story of loss and survival it is also a humorous and touching glimpse at the ways people deal with grief and hope; at the vagaries of the human condition which are what make each of us so unique in the way we deal with life's daily obstacles and the depths to which we can reach when faced with the loss of the most important things to us.

In the end it is a homage to the things we love, the people, the places, and ourselves. A definite recommend.

"The Brontë Plot" by Katherine Reay

I was fortunate to receive this as an ebook from the publisher for a fair review.

I have to admit I started this book with the awful suspicion that I had allowed myself to fall for a chick lit title but as I continued to read I realized I had found a story written with warmth and understanding of the foibles of the human condition. Just like the classics mentioned in the story this is one of those books that you will come to regard fondly as part of your books read list. 

It is about the influence great books have in shaping our lives, and how far is destiny really in control of us and our decisions. Are we predestined to follow in the footsteps of our fathers or can we break away from what seems the only path to take. Is that path the one we walk because there is no other or are we simply afraid to tread on the unknown moors of life. 

This is a love story in more ways than one. Both of a man and woman who find and lose themselves and the lies that can make a bond so much more fragile because of the destructive power in them. But just as importantly this is a love story of the stories behind the great tales we read and hold so close to our heart. After all, Jane Eyre is not a classic just because it is well written but because it is a story that echoes our hearts and reminds us of the possibilities that lie outside of ourselves. 

This is a great introduction to some of English literature's finest tomes and perfect for a book club selection. I definitely recommend reading this.

"Rooms" by Lauren Oliver

I have never read anything else by Oliver but I know of her other titles which I've been told are a must read. I am going to have to read them now. This is a ghost story told by the members of a dead man's family who've come to prepare to sell the place and the ghosts that are inhabiting it. This is not a happy family; they are dysfunctional to say the least and are only in the house because they have to be but the ghosts are there because they have no other choice. The house is them and they are the house. This is a very evocative story, it is not written to bring a sense of peace about dying, if anything the result is an unsettling view of the many lies and tricks we use to avoid facing the realities of our lives. We fabricate webs of illusion so that we can manage our existence but even in death the truth still needs to be faced in order to set one free, no matter what the cost to the living.

"Botticelli's Bastard" by Stephen Maitland-Lewis

This is an intriguing little novel. An art restorer who is going through some emotional upheaval in his life discovers a potential Botticelli included in some paintings his father left him but how and where the painting came to be in his fathers possession is the least of Fabrizzi's problems. It seems that the portrait is haunted by the Medici depicted in it and after so many years kept in a dark crate he has a lot to say. As Fabrizzi comes to realize this spirit is real he begins to learn more about the pictures past and begins a journey of discovery that will take him from Paris during the Nazi occupation to the streets of 9th Avenue in New York City unveiling a family secret that has been hidden all this time. This journey mirrors Fabrizzi's struggle to let go of the wife who died from cancer and to give himself and his new wife a chance. A tale of grief, lose, and the deeds that cannot be undone or forgiven, or can they.

"Gourmet Rhapsody" by Muriel Barbery, Alison Anderson translation

This book is phenomenal. This is going to be one of the books I return to read again and again because it is such a pleasure to do so. The story is engaging in and of itself but it's the intricacy and elegance of the writing that is so enrapturing. Each sentence felt like diving into a sensory wonderland. I highly recommend this book not only to those interested in the food culture but anyone who's looking to relive the magic of a really good book.

"The Enchanted" by Rene Denfeld

In a narrow corridor devoid of windows and deprived of any sign of life outside his walls, sits a madman alone,haunted by past deeds and current damnation. He alone sees the truth in the darkness and he alone knows the tapestry that is being weaved, occasionally with flashes of beauty: golden horses with manes of fire running beneath the land, baby blue booties to welcome a newborn, lakes blue and peaceful to cleanse the soul. Yet in this world of ancient stone and dust, they are only a reminder of what has been lost or never obtained. Through books and the enchantment of his prison he sees all and says nothing knowing all things come to those who wait.

"The Winter People" by Jennifer McMahon

So when I got to page 31 of this brand new book by McMahon and I read the words Dirty Birdy, I felt a chill race up my spine. When I read further on and read about the " sleepers ", I knew I'd arrived at thrill central. If you've picked up on what I consider to be salutes to Stephen King then you know where this is headed, right? Wrong. This story is finely crafted from the darkest threads of New England's dark past, in this case a place called West Hall, Vermont. Choices made in the past often stain the present in ways one can't imagine or believe and sometimes are so out of the realm of the possibility that they dwell in a place of their own. Betrayal, murder, death, revenge, and love are the background for this chilling story about a little girl named Gertie and her mother's undying love, and of the terrible burden that love can be. READ this book, New England literary tradition of bleak winters, harsh landscapes, and deeply buried fears are strong and alive in this book and their roots run deep into a past that's as primordial as terror itself.

What would you do?

"The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3)" by Dan Brown

Enjoyed this but it definitely didn't live up to The Davinci Code. I almost felt like I was reading a teleplay; I could even picture how the scenes were going to be shot lol. Quite frankly, I do want to read Dante's Inferno. For me this has become brain candy.